SG ART BOOK DIALOGUE
SG Art Book Dialogue is a series of book launches, discussions & artist talks curated by and held at the Singapore Art Book Fair.
All programmes are held at the Engine Room at Singapore Art Museum, located beside the Exhibitor Hall.
* Presented in partnership with the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) Design Collection
25 October 2024, Friday
6:00PM — 7:30PM
Register here.
Register here.
[KEYNOTE EVENT]
Organising an Art Book Fair: A Roundtable Discussion *
Featuring Printed Matter, Tokyo Art Book Fair, Singapore Art Book Fair & abC art book in China
Organising an Art Book Fair: A Roundtable Discussion *
Featuring Printed Matter, Tokyo Art Book Fair, Singapore Art Book Fair & abC art book in China
On the milestone 10th edition of the Singapore Art Book Fair, this roundtable gathers organisers of
major art book fairs from Asia and the US. Together they will share about the models, histories,
achievements, and challenges of their respective events, as well as how they have adapted to
changing trends and circumstances. Speakers include representatives from abC, which formerly ran
the abC Art Book Fair in Beijing and Shanghai, and which now runs the Open M Art Fair; Printed
Matter, the New York City-based non-profit organisation and bookstore which runs the NY and LA Art
Book Fairs; and Tokyo Art Book Fair, which started in 2009 and is currently the biggest art book fair in
Asia.
Sonel Breslav
Director of Fairs & Editions, Printed Matter
Sonel Breslav (she/her) has been the Director of Fairs & Editions for Printed Matter since 2018. In this role, she produces Printed Matter’s NY and LA Art Book Fairs, manages the organisation's participation in other art and art book fairs, and oversees the fundraising edition program. Previously, Sonel was National Chapters and Programs Manager at ArtTable, the foremost professional organisation dedicated to advancing the leadership of women in the visual arts. From 2013–2017 she was the Director of Murray Guy, New York, where she curated exhibitions of work by gallery artists such as Moyra Davey, Matthew Buckingham, and Alejandro Cesarco, among others. In 2012, she founded Blonde Art Books, an independent organisation dedicated to promoting self-published art books through exhibitions, book fairs, public programs, publications, and an online platform.
Sunny Iyer
Fairs & Editions Coordinator, Printed Matter
Sanjana (Sunny) Iyer is a curator and art worker based in New York City. She is the Fairs & Editions Coordinator at Printed Matter, helping produce the NY and LA Art Book Fairs and the organisation's print edition program. She is the shop steward of the Printed Matter Union (OPEIU Local 153). Since 2017, Sunny has also served as the Program Director of Wendy's Subway, an independent library, community reading room, and artists' book publisher in Brooklyn. There, she primarily organises reading groups, writing workshops, poetry readings, and performances. She is a member of Writers Against the War on Gaza (WAWOG). Her current research interests include: alternative pedagogy, the films of Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, abolition, group dynamics, and asemic writing.
Naoko Higashi
Project Manager, TOKYO ART BOOK FAIR
Born in 1981, in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. She joined the TOKYO ART BOOK FAIR team in 2009 as its project manager. Also an editor, she worked for the magazine IMA from 2012 to 2023. She is now based in Fukuoka and Tokyo. In 2024, she took part in the start-up of Pages | Fukuoka Art Book Fair.
Akira Kuroki
Area Director, ZINE’S MATE
Editor, Distributor. Born in 1988, in Tokyo. He worked at the bookstore UTRECHT / NOW IDeA in Tokyo from 2011 to 2019. He joined the TOKYO ART BOOK FAIR team in 2014, and became the ZINE'S MATE Area director in 2022. In 2023, he has been working as a distributor in Japan for the Dutch publisher The Future Publishing.
Renée Ting
Founder & Director, Thing Books/Singapore Art Book Fair
Renée Ting is the founder & director of Thing Books, a centre that organises art book events & initiatives such as the annual Singapore Art Book Fair and the SG Art Book Library.
Yang Dan
Exhibition Coordinator, abC art book in China
Dan joined abC (art book in China) as a volunteer in 2016 and gradually became a core member of abC Team, took on the role of exhibition Coordinator. Also serves as the principal editor of the annual magazine P_PAL. Running the abC's physical bookstore 梦办OneiroSpace.
Xu Ke
Project Manager, abC art book in China
As a project manager at abC (art book in China), Xu Ke is primarily responsible for international projects, curating exhibitions and reading rooms at abC Art Book Fairs, conducting academic research and public education. Xu Ke is also a visual artist with a focus on the concept of the book, the nature of a digital image, language gaps and open narratives.
Sonel Breslav
Director of Fairs & Editions, Printed Matter
Sonel Breslav (she/her) has been the Director of Fairs & Editions for Printed Matter since 2018. In this role, she produces Printed Matter’s NY and LA Art Book Fairs, manages the organisation's participation in other art and art book fairs, and oversees the fundraising edition program. Previously, Sonel was National Chapters and Programs Manager at ArtTable, the foremost professional organisation dedicated to advancing the leadership of women in the visual arts. From 2013–2017 she was the Director of Murray Guy, New York, where she curated exhibitions of work by gallery artists such as Moyra Davey, Matthew Buckingham, and Alejandro Cesarco, among others. In 2012, she founded Blonde Art Books, an independent organisation dedicated to promoting self-published art books through exhibitions, book fairs, public programs, publications, and an online platform.
Sunny Iyer
Fairs & Editions Coordinator, Printed Matter
Sanjana (Sunny) Iyer is a curator and art worker based in New York City. She is the Fairs & Editions Coordinator at Printed Matter, helping produce the NY and LA Art Book Fairs and the organisation's print edition program. She is the shop steward of the Printed Matter Union (OPEIU Local 153). Since 2017, Sunny has also served as the Program Director of Wendy's Subway, an independent library, community reading room, and artists' book publisher in Brooklyn. There, she primarily organises reading groups, writing workshops, poetry readings, and performances. She is a member of Writers Against the War on Gaza (WAWOG). Her current research interests include: alternative pedagogy, the films of Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, abolition, group dynamics, and asemic writing.
Naoko Higashi
Project Manager, TOKYO ART BOOK FAIR
Born in 1981, in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. She joined the TOKYO ART BOOK FAIR team in 2009 as its project manager. Also an editor, she worked for the magazine IMA from 2012 to 2023. She is now based in Fukuoka and Tokyo. In 2024, she took part in the start-up of Pages | Fukuoka Art Book Fair.
Akira Kuroki
Area Director, ZINE’S MATE
Editor, Distributor. Born in 1988, in Tokyo. He worked at the bookstore UTRECHT / NOW IDeA in Tokyo from 2011 to 2019. He joined the TOKYO ART BOOK FAIR team in 2014, and became the ZINE'S MATE Area director in 2022. In 2023, he has been working as a distributor in Japan for the Dutch publisher The Future Publishing.
Renée Ting
Founder & Director, Thing Books/Singapore Art Book Fair
Renée Ting is the founder & director of Thing Books, a centre that organises art book events & initiatives such as the annual Singapore Art Book Fair and the SG Art Book Library.
Yang Dan
Exhibition Coordinator, abC art book in China
Dan joined abC (art book in China) as a volunteer in 2016 and gradually became a core member of abC Team, took on the role of exhibition Coordinator. Also serves as the principal editor of the annual magazine P_PAL. Running the abC's physical bookstore 梦办OneiroSpace.
Xu Ke
Project Manager, abC art book in China
As a project manager at abC (art book in China), Xu Ke is primarily responsible for international projects, curating exhibitions and reading rooms at abC Art Book Fairs, conducting academic research and public education. Xu Ke is also a visual artist with a focus on the concept of the book, the nature of a digital image, language gaps and open narratives.
26 October 2024, Saturday
1:00PM — 2:30PM
Register here.
Register here.
[PANEL]
Performance of a Photobook
Presented by Editions JOJO
Featuring Ng Hui Hsien, Vanessa Ban & Hong Shu-ying
Moderated by Aparna Nori
Performance of a Photobook
Presented by Editions JOJO
Featuring Ng Hui Hsien, Vanessa Ban & Hong Shu-ying
Moderated by Aparna Nori
The panel will explore and speculate on how the act of making a photobook is an all-encompassing performance, right from the making of the body of work itself to the act of editing, designing & finally in the experience of reading the object itself. This discussion is an entry point to examine the role of design, conceptual framework, artistic process, narrative style & other elements that make up the ecosystem of the photobook and in the process, foster dialogue on the evolving nature of photobooks and innovative practices with the genre.
Ng Hui Hsien
Artist, Writer & Researcher
Ng Hui Hsien is an artist, writer, and researcher based in Singapore. Her art practice uses photography as a medium to explore themes such as perception, (im)materiality, and interconnectivity; her works are sites where the unconscious can find expression, indirectly or otherwise. Hui Hsien’s self-published, limited-edition, hand-stitched artist book – The Weight of Air – is distributed by Reminders Photography Stronghold (Japan).
Vanessa Ban
Graphic Designer, Artist & Lecturer
Vanessa Ban is a graphic designer, artist, and lecturer. Her work cohabits contemporary art and graphic design. She is interested in the mediation between design and art language and is invested in holding the tension between these two forms of aesthetic discourses. Premising the category of an artwork as a foundation to her thought process, she sees design as a complementary discursive partner that can subtly speak to the art object.
Hong Shu-ying
Artist
Hong Shu-ying is a Singaporean artist who collects and works with found images and materials to highlight patterns, repetitions, and contradictions related to inheritance and ways of learning. She works with artist books, video and photography.
Aparna Nori
Photographer & Visual Artist
Aparna Nori is a photographer and visual artist based between Singapore and India. Aparna draws upon personal memory to have a dialogue with the quotidian. Her response is articulated through a range of mediums including alternative photographic processes, installations, video, digital photography and the book form. As a pedagogic extension of her practice, she continues to facilitate workshops to teach photography, bookmaking and alternative photographic processes.
Ng Hui Hsien
Artist, Writer & Researcher
Ng Hui Hsien is an artist, writer, and researcher based in Singapore. Her art practice uses photography as a medium to explore themes such as perception, (im)materiality, and interconnectivity; her works are sites where the unconscious can find expression, indirectly or otherwise. Hui Hsien’s self-published, limited-edition, hand-stitched artist book – The Weight of Air – is distributed by Reminders Photography Stronghold (Japan).
Vanessa Ban
Graphic Designer, Artist & Lecturer
Vanessa Ban is a graphic designer, artist, and lecturer. Her work cohabits contemporary art and graphic design. She is interested in the mediation between design and art language and is invested in holding the tension between these two forms of aesthetic discourses. Premising the category of an artwork as a foundation to her thought process, she sees design as a complementary discursive partner that can subtly speak to the art object.
Hong Shu-ying
Artist
Hong Shu-ying is a Singaporean artist who collects and works with found images and materials to highlight patterns, repetitions, and contradictions related to inheritance and ways of learning. She works with artist books, video and photography.
Aparna Nori
Photographer & Visual Artist
Aparna Nori is a photographer and visual artist based between Singapore and India. Aparna draws upon personal memory to have a dialogue with the quotidian. Her response is articulated through a range of mediums including alternative photographic processes, installations, video, digital photography and the book form. As a pedagogic extension of her practice, she continues to facilitate workshops to teach photography, bookmaking and alternative photographic processes.
3:00PM — 4:00PM
Register here.
Register here.
[BOOK LAUNCH]
Slander! by Jeremy Sharma: A book launch, a screening, a conversation
Presented by Set Margins’ publications
Featuring Jeremy Sharma in conversation with Susie Wong
Slander! by Jeremy Sharma: A book launch, a screening, a conversation
Presented by Set Margins’ publications
Featuring Jeremy Sharma in conversation with Susie Wong
Slander! is a study of six films made between 1958 – 1963 in pre-independence Singapore, as told through the fictional persona of Remy Shah. It is a book of autotheory; a kind of meta-novel which is at once a diary, a thesis, and a meditation. The artist novel addresses how we perceive both images in films through the lens of time, coloniality and history through the lens of film.
Jeremy Sharma
Artist
Jeremy Sharma's current practice revolves solely around longstanding ideas in painting and writing, with side interests in music and moving images.He also teaches with the McNally School of Fine Arts at the LASALLE College of the Arts and runs an experimental curatorial platform called Bulanujung.
Susie Wong
Artist & Curator
Susie Wong is an artist, curator, educator and art writer in Singapore. Wong has written for numerous publications and monographs on art since the late 1980s.
Jeremy Sharma
Artist
Jeremy Sharma's current practice revolves solely around longstanding ideas in painting and writing, with side interests in music and moving images.He also teaches with the McNally School of Fine Arts at the LASALLE College of the Arts and runs an experimental curatorial platform called Bulanujung.
Susie Wong
Artist & Curator
Susie Wong is an artist, curator, educator and art writer in Singapore. Wong has written for numerous publications and monographs on art since the late 1980s.
4:30PM — 5:30PM
Register here.
Register here.
[PANEL]
The Politics of Print in Singapore's Independent Media Scene
Featuring Ginette Chittick, Ruby Thiagarajan & Charmaine Poh
Moderated by Alysha Chandra
The Politics of Print in Singapore's Independent Media Scene
Featuring Ginette Chittick, Ruby Thiagarajan & Charmaine Poh
Moderated by Alysha Chandra
Trace the evolution of Singapore’s independent print media scene, from nascent zine cultures of the 1990s to our present-day publication landscape. Panellists Ginette Chittick (CherryBombe Press), Ruby Thiagarajan (Mynah Magazine) and Charmaine Poh (Jom) will discuss their experiences starting and sustaining magazines in Singapore, the politics of distribution under ever-changing media regulations, and the possibilities offered by a print-forward approach in an era of digital content.
Ginette Chittick
Lecturer, Subculture Researcher & Musician
Ginette Chittick is a member of one of Singapore’s pioneering ArtRock/Shoegaze bands, Astreal, a DJ, co-owned fashion label FruFru & Tigerlily, and was zine-producer and a key member of the mid ‘90s punk scene. She holds an MA (Design) and is currently a PhD student at the University of the Arts London. She is the Programme Leader of the Diploma in Creative Direction for Fashion at the University of the Arts Singapore.
Ruby Thiagarajan
Editor-in-Chief, Mynah Magazine
Ruby is an editor and writer based in Singapore. She is the editor-in-chief of Mynah Magazine, a longform print publication dedicated to Singapore's untold stories. Her essays and criticism have appeared in publications including Mekong Review, Portside Review and New Naratif.
Charmaine Poh
Co-founder, Jom; Artist
Charmaine Poh is a co-founder and the head of visual culture and media at Jom, an independent journalistic magazine about Singapore. As an independent artist, she has exhibited her work at the Singapore Art Museum, the Seoul Museum of Art, and the Venice Biennale, among others.
Alysha Chandra
Network Manager, NIMBUS; Marketing Lead, Feelers
Alysha Chandra manages NIMBUS, a new network for independent media in Singapore. She writes essays and plays, and is a member and Marketing Lead of art and tech research lab Feelers.
Ginette Chittick
Lecturer, Subculture Researcher & Musician
Ginette Chittick is a member of one of Singapore’s pioneering ArtRock/Shoegaze bands, Astreal, a DJ, co-owned fashion label FruFru & Tigerlily, and was zine-producer and a key member of the mid ‘90s punk scene. She holds an MA (Design) and is currently a PhD student at the University of the Arts London. She is the Programme Leader of the Diploma in Creative Direction for Fashion at the University of the Arts Singapore.
Ruby Thiagarajan
Editor-in-Chief, Mynah Magazine
Ruby is an editor and writer based in Singapore. She is the editor-in-chief of Mynah Magazine, a longform print publication dedicated to Singapore's untold stories. Her essays and criticism have appeared in publications including Mekong Review, Portside Review and New Naratif.
Charmaine Poh
Co-founder, Jom; Artist
Charmaine Poh is a co-founder and the head of visual culture and media at Jom, an independent journalistic magazine about Singapore. As an independent artist, she has exhibited her work at the Singapore Art Museum, the Seoul Museum of Art, and the Venice Biennale, among others.
Alysha Chandra
Network Manager, NIMBUS; Marketing Lead, Feelers
Alysha Chandra manages NIMBUS, a new network for independent media in Singapore. She writes essays and plays, and is a member and Marketing Lead of art and tech research lab Feelers.
6:00PM — 7:00PM
Register here.
Register here.
[PANEL]
Old Fears and New Hopes: Singapore's Next General Election
Presented by Jom
Featuring Walid J. Abdullah, Elvin Ong & Anngee Neo
Moderated by Sudhir Thomas
Old Fears and New Hopes: Singapore's Next General Election
Presented by Jom
Featuring Walid J. Abdullah, Elvin Ong & Anngee Neo
Moderated by Sudhir Thomas
Because of the pandemic, it has been almost a decade since Singaporeans attended general election (GE) rallies. As we prepare for perhaps one of the most keenly contested GEs in recent times, due by next November, what has changed since? How has the practice of democracy evolved? Which aspects of this evolution are to be cheered and jeered? How can individual Singaporeans prepare themselves to be more democratically engaged citizens, as we keep methodically constructing this shared project called home? Our four panellists will share thoughts from the vantage points of both their individual practices, and their quotidian interactions and lives.
Walid J. Abdullah
Associate Professor, National University of Singapore
Walid Jumblatt Abdullah is an Associate Professor at the Public Policy and Global Affairs Program at Nanyang Technological University. He is the author of Islam in a Secular State: Muslim Activism in Singapore, published by Amsterdam University Press in 2021. He is also the host of Teh Tarik With Walid, an online show where he hosts politicians and political influencers, discussing local politics.
Elvin Ong
Assistant Professor, National University of Singapore
Elvin Ong is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the National University of Singapore. His primary research agenda is on democratisation in East and Southeast Asia, focusing on the role of opposition parties. His first book “Opposing Power: Building Opposition Alliances in Electoral Autocracies” was published by the University of Michigan Press in 2022. His academic writing has also been published in leading political science disciplinary journals as well as regionally-focused area studies journals.
Anngee Neo
Illustrator
Anngee Neo is a Singapore-based illustrator who has a special interest in making drawings for storytelling. When not working with commercial clients, she makes comics or infographics on political-social issues to entertain readers. She moonlights as a podcaster and is a high level internet troll.
Sudhir Thomas
Founder, Jom
Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh is the co-founder of Jom, a digital weekly magazine about Singapore. His work is focused on amplifying the voices of people marginalised by dominant power structures. His areas of concern are inequality, corporate and political hegemonies, and social hierarchies.
Walid J. Abdullah
Associate Professor, National University of Singapore
Walid Jumblatt Abdullah is an Associate Professor at the Public Policy and Global Affairs Program at Nanyang Technological University. He is the author of Islam in a Secular State: Muslim Activism in Singapore, published by Amsterdam University Press in 2021. He is also the host of Teh Tarik With Walid, an online show where he hosts politicians and political influencers, discussing local politics.
Elvin Ong
Assistant Professor, National University of Singapore
Elvin Ong is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the National University of Singapore. His primary research agenda is on democratisation in East and Southeast Asia, focusing on the role of opposition parties. His first book “Opposing Power: Building Opposition Alliances in Electoral Autocracies” was published by the University of Michigan Press in 2022. His academic writing has also been published in leading political science disciplinary journals as well as regionally-focused area studies journals.
Anngee Neo
Illustrator
Anngee Neo is a Singapore-based illustrator who has a special interest in making drawings for storytelling. When not working with commercial clients, she makes comics or infographics on political-social issues to entertain readers. She moonlights as a podcaster and is a high level internet troll.
Sudhir Thomas
Founder, Jom
Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh is the co-founder of Jom, a digital weekly magazine about Singapore. His work is focused on amplifying the voices of people marginalised by dominant power structures. His areas of concern are inequality, corporate and political hegemonies, and social hierarchies.
27 October 2024, Sunday
1:00PM — 2:30PM
Register here.
Register here.
[PANEL]
Practising (Beyond) Print: Multidisciplinary Design Studios in Conversation *
Featuring Corners & Studio150
Moderated by Gideon Kong
Practising (Beyond) Print: Multidisciplinary Design Studios in Conversation *
Featuring Corners & Studio150
Moderated by Gideon Kong
This panel brings together independent design studios that centre print and publishing in their practices, while also building upon this foundation to move into researching, organising, and curating. In addition, both studios often work closely with contemporary artists, art institutions, and art events in their projects, commercial or otherwise. This conversation will position the creation of art books as one key element in a larger creative ecosystem, and explore the expanded roles that design studios can play.
Hyojoon Jo Co-Founder, Corners
Daewoong Kim Co-Founder, Corners
Founded in 2012, Corners provides graphic design services for publications/prints, digital images, websites, exhibition graphics, and signages. It also curates exhibitions, makes merchandise, and creates research-based publications. Corners run Corners Printing and Corners Publishing, which specialises in risograph printing presses and collaborates with friends and other creatives.
Piyakorn Chaiverapundech Co-Founder, Studio150
Pat Laddaphan Co-Founder, Studio150
STUDIO150 is a Bangkok-based design studio that leverages graphic design as a core tool across all mediums, specialising in information interpretation, design research, and data visualisation. Founded by Piyakorn Chaiverapundech and Pat Laddaphan, the studio bridges graphic design with contemporary art, focusing on observation, multidisciplinary research, curation, and storytelling. Their work transforms contemporary data and objects into diverse projects, including publications, exhibitions, and commissioned works. STUDIO150 co-founded the BANGKOK ART BOOK FAIR in 2017 and participated in Momentum 12, the 12th Nordic Biennale for Contemporary Art.
Gideon Kong
Graphic Designer
Gideon Kong co-runs gideon-jamie, a small design studio that is also involved in publishing, writing, and making exhibitions. They started Temporary Press in 2018, a publishing press that explores ideas and practices around design, and Temporary Unit in 2020, an ad-hoc exhibition space and bookshop. In 2021, he completed an MA (research) on critical and artistic graphic design practices, and has been teaching at the University of the Arts Singapore (Lasalle College of the Arts) since 2016.
Hyojoon Jo Co-Founder, Corners
Daewoong Kim Co-Founder, Corners
Founded in 2012, Corners provides graphic design services for publications/prints, digital images, websites, exhibition graphics, and signages. It also curates exhibitions, makes merchandise, and creates research-based publications. Corners run Corners Printing and Corners Publishing, which specialises in risograph printing presses and collaborates with friends and other creatives.
Piyakorn Chaiverapundech Co-Founder, Studio150
Pat Laddaphan Co-Founder, Studio150
STUDIO150 is a Bangkok-based design studio that leverages graphic design as a core tool across all mediums, specialising in information interpretation, design research, and data visualisation. Founded by Piyakorn Chaiverapundech and Pat Laddaphan, the studio bridges graphic design with contemporary art, focusing on observation, multidisciplinary research, curation, and storytelling. Their work transforms contemporary data and objects into diverse projects, including publications, exhibitions, and commissioned works. STUDIO150 co-founded the BANGKOK ART BOOK FAIR in 2017 and participated in Momentum 12, the 12th Nordic Biennale for Contemporary Art.
Gideon Kong
Graphic Designer
Gideon Kong co-runs gideon-jamie, a small design studio that is also involved in publishing, writing, and making exhibitions. They started Temporary Press in 2018, a publishing press that explores ideas and practices around design, and Temporary Unit in 2020, an ad-hoc exhibition space and bookshop. In 2021, he completed an MA (research) on critical and artistic graphic design practices, and has been teaching at the University of the Arts Singapore (Lasalle College of the Arts) since 2016.
3:00PM — 4:30PM
Register here.
Register here.
[PANEL]
On the Same Page: Artists’ Books as a Site of Intersection *
Featuring Darius Ou, Oscar Salguero & Claudia de la Torre
Moderated by Berny Tan
On the Same Page: Artists’ Books as a Site of Intersection *
Featuring Darius Ou, Oscar Salguero & Claudia de la Torre
Moderated by Berny Tan
Within the realm of artists’ books, these three independent practitioners have connected with each other across continents and across disciplines. Discussing compelling individual projects as well as their collaborations, this conversation will shift between the perspectives of artist, designer, curator, researcher, publisher, archivist, and so on, demonstrating how artists’ books can be a rich space of hybridity and experimentation.
Darius Ou
Graphic Designer
Darius Ou (b. 1993) is a graphic designer from Singapore, whose practice focuses on typography, motion design, and graphic lores. In his spare time, he runs hyperpress, a research initiative and body of work exploring the intersections of 3D printing, graphic design, and publishing – producing 3D-printed books, objects, and texts. He is a recipient of the ADC New York Young Guns 21 award.
Oscar Salguero
Founder, Interspecies Library
Oscar Salguero is an independent curator, researcher, and archivist based in Brooklyn. In 2021 at Center for Book Arts, NY, he curated Interspecies Futures [IF], a survey of artists' books exploring the intersection of speculative fiction and new interspecies possibilities. In 2023, Salguero curated NEO MINERALIA, an exhibition at Center for Craft, North Carolina, that considered synthetic and digital rocks as alternative geological specimens. Salguero founded Interspecies Library in 2019, the first archive of artists’ books exploring various subjects of interspecies research such as animal communication, plant intelligence, microbial cultures, queer ecology, animism, bioart, etc. Since 2023, he runs Journal of Therolinguistics, a platform for the poetic study of nonhuman languages.
Claudia de la Torre
Artist & Publisher
Claudia de la Torre is a Mexican, Berlin-based artist, educator and independent publisher who creates artworks situated at the intersection of printed media, conceptual publications, and installation. Using the basic concept of a book as her guide, she examines the structures and relationships of surface, form, and ideas. In 2011, de la Torre founded backbonebooks as an extension of her artistic practice, serving as a platform for publishing and conceptualising artists’ books. Since 2021, she has been leading the Artists’ Books Workshop in her studio, collaborating with creatives who want to bring their ideas to life in book form. Through a processual, conceptual and collaborative approach she aims to open new perspectives into what a book can be.
Berny Tan
Curator, Singapore Art Museum
Berny Tan is an artist and curator from Singapore. In her curatorial work, she nurtures an artist-centred practice grounded in empathy, sensitivity, and collaboration. Her past projects include the Singapore Biennale 2022 presentation Page Break, a publicly accessible residency that looked at how everyday objects and scenes are explored through the medium of the artist’s book. Tan holds an MA (Dist) in Contemporary Art Theory from Goldsmiths, University of London, and a BFA (Hons) in Visual & Critical Studies from the School of Visual Arts. In 2024, she joined the Singapore Art Museum as Curator of its new Design Collection.
Darius Ou
Graphic Designer
Darius Ou (b. 1993) is a graphic designer from Singapore, whose practice focuses on typography, motion design, and graphic lores. In his spare time, he runs hyperpress, a research initiative and body of work exploring the intersections of 3D printing, graphic design, and publishing – producing 3D-printed books, objects, and texts. He is a recipient of the ADC New York Young Guns 21 award.
Oscar Salguero
Founder, Interspecies Library
Oscar Salguero is an independent curator, researcher, and archivist based in Brooklyn. In 2021 at Center for Book Arts, NY, he curated Interspecies Futures [IF], a survey of artists' books exploring the intersection of speculative fiction and new interspecies possibilities. In 2023, Salguero curated NEO MINERALIA, an exhibition at Center for Craft, North Carolina, that considered synthetic and digital rocks as alternative geological specimens. Salguero founded Interspecies Library in 2019, the first archive of artists’ books exploring various subjects of interspecies research such as animal communication, plant intelligence, microbial cultures, queer ecology, animism, bioart, etc. Since 2023, he runs Journal of Therolinguistics, a platform for the poetic study of nonhuman languages.
Claudia de la Torre
Artist & Publisher
Claudia de la Torre is a Mexican, Berlin-based artist, educator and independent publisher who creates artworks situated at the intersection of printed media, conceptual publications, and installation. Using the basic concept of a book as her guide, she examines the structures and relationships of surface, form, and ideas. In 2011, de la Torre founded backbonebooks as an extension of her artistic practice, serving as a platform for publishing and conceptualising artists’ books. Since 2021, she has been leading the Artists’ Books Workshop in her studio, collaborating with creatives who want to bring their ideas to life in book form. Through a processual, conceptual and collaborative approach she aims to open new perspectives into what a book can be.
Berny Tan
Curator, Singapore Art Museum
Berny Tan is an artist and curator from Singapore. In her curatorial work, she nurtures an artist-centred practice grounded in empathy, sensitivity, and collaboration. Her past projects include the Singapore Biennale 2022 presentation Page Break, a publicly accessible residency that looked at how everyday objects and scenes are explored through the medium of the artist’s book. Tan holds an MA (Dist) in Contemporary Art Theory from Goldsmiths, University of London, and a BFA (Hons) in Visual & Critical Studies from the School of Visual Arts. In 2024, she joined the Singapore Art Museum as Curator of its new Design Collection.
5:00PM — 5:30PM
Register here.
Register here.
[TALK]
Tactile Books: A Way Forward
Presented by Lim Jin Ying, Ng Luo Wei & Chong Kwek Bin
Moderated by Singapore Art Museum (SAM) Access Team
Tactile Books: A Way Forward
Presented by Lim Jin Ying, Ng Luo Wei & Chong Kwek Bin
Moderated by Singapore Art Museum (SAM) Access Team
What does it mean to read art books as a person with visual impairment? Trigger Design has collaborated with Beyond Vision International (BVI) to present a multi-sensorial experience titled Accessible Sights. In this talk, the team will share what goes into the process of designing an audio-tactile guidebook, while also proposing new ways of communicating art to include persons with visual impairment.
About Accessible Sights
In collaboration with Beyond Vision International (BVI) and Enabling Village, we designed a multi sensorial experience around Enabling Village. The public would be able to experience Enabling Village through senses beyond sight, which provides them with a new perspective on Enabling Village as well as learn more about the Visually impaired community. For the event, we designed an embosser for participants to create their own tactile embossing as souvenirs. The embosser is designed with considerations of VI user’s safety and intuitiveness.
Lim Jin Ying
Industrial Designer, Trigger Design Studio
Jin Ying has been involved in planning the event from its inception, overseeing from ideation to execution. With a deep commitment to inclusivity in arts and design, Jin Ying will share her insights on the importance of creating accessible experiences. She will delve into the design considerations for developing the embosser, highlighting how user feedback shaped the process. Her talk will offer perspectives on integrating inclusivity into design practices, ensuring that art and spaces are accessible to all.
Ng Luo Wei
Industrial Designer, Trigger Design Studio
Luo Wei has been deeply involved in the Accessible Sights event from the outset. Luo Wei will share her expertise on the design considerations for creating the embosser, emphasizing the importance of user feedback and rigorous testing. She will discuss how user insights guided the selection of appropriate materials and the development process. Her insights will offer a deep dive into the technical aspects of creating accessible tactile resources, ensuring that they meet the needs of the visually impaired community.
Chong Kwek Bin
Manager; Independent Living & Caregiver Support, SG Enable
Kwek Bin has played an integral role in the Accessible Sights project at Enabling Village. Working closely with Trigger Design, Kwek Bin provided invaluable user insights and feedback throughout the project's development. His extensive experience in supporting independent living for individuals with disabilities positions him as an expert on the importance of tactile resources in enhancing accessibility.
About Accessible Sights
In collaboration with Beyond Vision International (BVI) and Enabling Village, we designed a multi sensorial experience around Enabling Village. The public would be able to experience Enabling Village through senses beyond sight, which provides them with a new perspective on Enabling Village as well as learn more about the Visually impaired community. For the event, we designed an embosser for participants to create their own tactile embossing as souvenirs. The embosser is designed with considerations of VI user’s safety and intuitiveness.
Lim Jin Ying
Industrial Designer, Trigger Design Studio
Jin Ying has been involved in planning the event from its inception, overseeing from ideation to execution. With a deep commitment to inclusivity in arts and design, Jin Ying will share her insights on the importance of creating accessible experiences. She will delve into the design considerations for developing the embosser, highlighting how user feedback shaped the process. Her talk will offer perspectives on integrating inclusivity into design practices, ensuring that art and spaces are accessible to all.
Ng Luo Wei
Industrial Designer, Trigger Design Studio
Luo Wei has been deeply involved in the Accessible Sights event from the outset. Luo Wei will share her expertise on the design considerations for creating the embosser, emphasizing the importance of user feedback and rigorous testing. She will discuss how user insights guided the selection of appropriate materials and the development process. Her insights will offer a deep dive into the technical aspects of creating accessible tactile resources, ensuring that they meet the needs of the visually impaired community.
Chong Kwek Bin
Manager; Independent Living & Caregiver Support, SG Enable
Kwek Bin has played an integral role in the Accessible Sights project at Enabling Village. Working closely with Trigger Design, Kwek Bin provided invaluable user insights and feedback throughout the project's development. His extensive experience in supporting independent living for individuals with disabilities positions him as an expert on the importance of tactile resources in enhancing accessibility.
5:30PM — 7:00PM
Register here.
Register here.
[DROP-IN ACTIVITY]
Making Images Tactile!
Presented by Trigger Design
Making Images Tactile!
Presented by Trigger Design
Join in the fun of making tactile images and take home a hand embossed souvenir!
Trigger Design
Design Consultancy Studio
Trigger Design believes in solutions that trigger positive ripples – enriching the lives of end users and aiding businesses to build a strong and sustainable brand. Their partners trust us to deliver holistic innovations that challenge the status quo yet remain grounded by thorough research; distilling complex insights into simple, resonant, and iconic solutions that trigger the ‘Wow’. Their works span across tech, lifestyle objects, furniture pieces, experiences, culture and identity.
Trigger Design
Design Consultancy Studio
Trigger Design believes in solutions that trigger positive ripples – enriching the lives of end users and aiding businesses to build a strong and sustainable brand. Their partners trust us to deliver holistic innovations that challenge the status quo yet remain grounded by thorough research; distilling complex insights into simple, resonant, and iconic solutions that trigger the ‘Wow’. Their works span across tech, lifestyle objects, furniture pieces, experiences, culture and identity.
© Singapore Art Book Fair 2024. All rights reserved.
For further enquiries, please contact us at info@singaporeartbookfair.org.
Singapore Art Book Fair is organised by
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For further enquiries, please contact us at info@singaporeartbookfair.org.
Singapore Art Book Fair is organised by
© Singapore Art Book Fair 2024. All rights reserved.
For further enquiries, please contact us at info@singaporeartbookfair.org.
Singapore Art Book Fair is organised by
![]()
For further enquiries, please contact us at info@singaporeartbookfair.org.
Singapore Art Book Fair is organised by
